Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for treating the surfaces of objects.
Description of the Related Art
The problem frequently arises of treating a flat (plate-like) object on its surface in order to strip from it a surface layer or a coating, in particular by grinding.
For example, when coated glass panels are being processed into insulating glass, it is necessary that the coating be removed (decoated) from the edges of the glass blanks, so that a more secure assembly of insulating glass is possible. Decoating can be done even before glass panels are divided into glass blanks.
Various devices have become known for decoating, i.e., the erosion-treatment of glass panels, in order to remove coatings from the latter in places. By way of example, refer to AT 405 724 B, AT 403 690 B, WO 2008/107087 A, and EP 0 603 152 A.
Glass-cutting tables, on which decoating can also be done, are known in various embodiments, in which connection reference can be made by way of example to AT 386 595 B, EP 0 192 920 B, or EP 1 654 200 B.
The known decoating devices, which can also be combined with a tool (cutting wheel) to score the glass panel, work with grinding wheels (“peripheral wheels”), which act with their periphery on the coating of the glass panel in order to remove the latter.
Methods and devices for decoating are also known from U.S. Pat. No. 7,273,406 B (=US 2006/236840 A), CH 697 240, and EP 2 386 602 B (=US 2012/270475 A).
A decoating tool is known from US 2006/236840 A, which follows at some distance a tool for scoring glass panels, whereby a simultaneous movement of both tools is carried out as soon as a minimum distance between the two tools is reached.
CH 697 240 relates to the setting of a defined pressing force of a grinding tool on a glass disk.
EP 2 486 602 B teaches the decoating of solar modules with a crown-like grinder.
Working with the known devices for treating the surfaces of glass panels, in particular decoating devices, has proven problematic, however, in various cases, for example at the beginning of a treatment process, so that there is a need for an improved method and an improved device for treating, in particular decoating, coated glass panels.